Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to President Trump: Do Not Strike Syria

Washington, DC – Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) today (April 12, 2018) called for President Trump to refrain from using military action against Syria that would expand and escalate the conflict, and likely result in additional civilian and military casualties, more refugees, and fewer resources to invest in rebuilding American communities, and instead work toward peace. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is also a signatory on a bipartisan letter to be sent to President Trump urging him to uphold the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution by obtaining the required authorization from Congress before ordering a military attack against Syria.

In a letter to President Donald Trump, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said:

“The people of Syria want peace more than anything else in the world. Attacking Syria will not bring their war-torn country any closer to peace. U.S. military action against Syria will simply escalate and prolong the war, resulting in more senseless death, destruction, and suffering.

“A US military attack against Syria will certainly reinvigorate and resurrect the terrorizing forces of jihad and increase the flow of refugees into Europe and the United States.

“If you are truly concerned about the suffering of the Syrian people, then you must do all you can to bring about peace. A US military attack against Syria will expand and escalate this war, increasing their suffering and causing more death, more refugees, and fewer resources to invest in rebuilding our own communities right here at home.

“Here is the bottom line: If our desire is for peace and stability in Syria and to mitigate the suffering of the Syrian people so they can begin to rebuild their homes and communities and enable refugees who have left Syria to return home, then we should work for peace, rather than expanding and escalating the war through a military attack against Syria.

“I call upon you to resist the loud calls of war and instead wield the power of the Presidency to help bring peace to the people of Syria, their devastated country, and the region.”

Media Contact: Emily Latimer, (202) 604-2330

25 thoughts on “Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to President Trump: Do Not Strike Syria”

You realize that Richard Spencer and other white supremacists/Nazis are huge supporters of assad and assad even has neo nazis fighting for him. If you support assad your no different then trump. And fyi this was all just a ruse trump did to steer suspicion away from his russian collusion.

Your argument is invalid. Suppose your favorite public figure liked Assad. Would that mean Assad was good? You also imply that not fighting Assad is supporting Assad. You might be flattered by using your logic: you are in agreement with most of US congress, that makes you a statesman.

I don’t see that such a campaign would currently be plausible. She isn’t a national name. Not that she wouldn’t be worth considering if she was on my ballot here in Arizona. Senator Tim Kaine is sounding good at the moment but was he making an effort a month ago.. no.

Tulsi is at the top of my list of potential 2020 presidential candidates. But I still need to know more about her positions on the “Three I’s” – Iran, Israel and India.

IRAN: Gabbard reluctantly voted for the JCPOA because she believes that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons. She needs to become better informed.

ISRAEL: Gabbard also signed onto a 2014 House resolution condemning amnesty international’s criticism of Israel’s war crimes in Gaza and she has repeatedly affirmed her support for the US alliance with Israel and called for the US to veto security council resolutions critical of Israel and accepted in contributions and an award from groups connected the Zionist lobby.
While she has opposed settlements, she needs to clarify her position on Israel and cut her ties to the Zionist lobby before I decide whether to support her.

INDIA: Gabbard has close ties to Indian PM Modi and his Hindu chauvinist party. She has opposed a congressional resolution supporting religious freedom for all faiths in India and condemning anti-conversion laws in some Indian states.

Gabbard entered politics at the age of 21 when she became the youngest woman ever elected to a state assembly in Hawai’i. Since then she has grown politically. Her mother describes Tulsi’s philosophy as “Humility in the service of others.” She supported Sanders, she met with Trump and went to Syria and met with Assad. And she surfs.

I would like to support Gabbard for President. But until she clarifies her positions on Iran, Israel and India, it is premature to embrace her as the antiwar movement’s standard bearer for 2020.

If America wants to get on the right track again, on the good foot again, we absolutely must support this wonderful woman and elevate this enlightened spirit to the presidency of the USA. Several years ago I came to know of her through an old friend of mine who was working with her on support-oriented compassion projects for the elderly and poor in Hawaii. Since that initial introduction, I have learned so much about her and her wonderful family. She is exactly at this
moment in history what America, and indeed the entire world, needs at this
crucial momentous, pivotal time. America, if you are all hot for your first
female President, this is your woman right here. She will make all of us proud (‘right’ and ‘left’), and she will help Make America Good Again! I am a man of many diverse and valuable talents and I am pledging all of them free of charge, here and now, to her 2020 Presidential Campaign.

Tulsi Gabbard provided cover for Bashar al-Assad by expressing doubt he chemical gassed his people last year. The UN after an investigation concluded the last years chemical attack came from Assad. Assad used Gabbard’s cover to again chemical gas his people. The Syrian civil war is over and Bashar al-Assad won. He is in the final process of sterilizing his country. Where is Tulsi’s outrage at the murder of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians? Yes the missile attack was stupid but instead of being part of the solution Tulsi Gabbard has become part of the problem.

Tulsi is terrible on Iran and Palestine/Israel. However, she is great on Syria, and we should applaud her on that. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t slam her on the other issues. But if we demand that all legislators be good on all issues, we will never be able to win any fight.

It is more important to coalesce with people on specific battles, unless our goal is to sit in our ivory towers and applaud ourselves for being right than to actually save some lives in Syria or elsewhere.